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National Pro Wrestling Day 2014

by SamoaRowe

February 1, 2014

-From Easton, PA. There’s probably 300-400 fans in attendance.

-Ring announcer Gavin Loudspeaker gets the crowd pumped up, playing into the love of pro wrestling.

2/3 Falls:
Drew Gulak vs. Colt Cabana

They kick things off with some inventive chain wrestling, and Colt seems to be enjoying himself. Gulak reverses a power slam when Colt spends too much time showing off. Colt taunts Drew while stretching the knee. Drew targets the stomach with head butts, and rolls through a sunset flip, but Cabana smartly breaks the momentum in the ropes. The match restarts with a handshake and they quicken the pace with their chain wrestling. Colt tries to crawl through the legs, but Gulak has him scouted and backs off. Cabana earns some boos by blindsiding Gulak with an uppercut. Drew surprises with the Dragon Sleeper to win the first fall at 7:50. The match restarts again and Cabana reverses into the Billy Goat’s Curse to win the second fall at 8:50. Both men were smart enough to tap immediately and not take any more punishment than necessary. The final fall starts with Gulak blocking the Billy Goat’s Curse and reapplying the Dragon Sleeper, but the hold is broken. Colt flusters Drew and puts him in a surfboard stretch variation. Cabana busts out the Regal Stretch! Drew taps at 10:55! Fine display of technical wrestling chops from both men, I would have been happy to see this go another ten minutes, ***.
Winner: Colt Cabana

-Loudspeaker introduces Maria Kanellis, the official spokeswoman of National Pro Wrestling Day. Maria promotes the Against Malaria campaign.

The Bloc Party (Brown Morning of Belarus, Proletariat Boar of Moldova, and Mr. Azerbaijan, with the Baron) vs. The Baltic Siege (Estonian Thunderfrog, Lithuanian Snow Troll, and Latvian Proud Oak)

This is quite the collection of masked CHIKARA-style cartoon wrestlers and the crowd is jazzed to see them. Mr. Azerbaijan cheap shots the Proud Oak for an early advantage, but it doesn’t last. Proud Oak outmaneuvers with a series of hip tosses, finding time to flirt with Maria Kanellis. They trade back rakes and take turns posing, before turning it up with back rakes off the second rope. The Snow Troll gets a tag but eats a nearly botched double power slam from the Boar and Brown Morning. Thunderfrog storms the ring and the match breaks down. Thunderfrog places the Boar Brown Morning in a tree of woe and they suplex Mr. Azerbaijan into the pile! The Bloc Party turns it around by isolating Proud Oak. Thunderfrog gets a hot tag and cleans pond, slamming his opponents into a pile for a double pin attempt. Snow Troll tags in with a missile drop-kick on the Boar. A brawl breaks out on the floor, while Mr. Azerbaijan tries to arrogantly suplex all his opponents but The Baltic Siege deliver the “Snow Plow” by ramming Snow Troll into him. Cue the obligatory diving sequence from The Baltic Seige, until the Boar spears Thunderfrog off the apron into the rest of the competitors. Back to the ring, Snow Troll dishes out the “Lithuanian Destroyer” on Mr. Azerbaijan. Snow Trolls catches Brown Morning with a roll-up for the win at 15:11! This was so. Much. Fun. ***¾.
Winners: The Baltic Siege

-The Block Party attempt a revenge beat down, but Thunderfrog returns wielding his mighty hammer! Thunderfrog drives the hammer into Brown Morning off the top rope! The crowd chants “YES!” as the Baltic Siege celebrate.

-Gavin Loudspeaker brings Colt Cabana, the official 2013 Ambassador of Wrestling, back to the ring. Cabana is here to present 2014 Ambassador of Wrestling award to Mike Burns, the owner of SmartMarkVideo. Cabana talks about how important it was to his career that Burns brought his camera equipment down to IWA-MS shows and help get the word out. This was a nice moment.

Mike Bennett vs. Hallowicked

The crowd chants “You tapped out” at Bennett in regard to the outcome of his previous match with Hallowicked. They run the ropes and Bennett mocks old foes the Young Bucks with some posing. The match seems somewhat clipped as suddenly Hallowicked is setting up a dive, but Bennett counters with a forearm to the head. Bennett takes control with deliberate offense, including everyone’s favorite chinlock. Bennett attempts a piledriver on the apron, but Hallowicked fortunately blocks. Another camera cut has them back in the middle of the ring. Hallowicked connects with a hurricanrana, but Bennett retaliates with a super kick. They block finishers and Hallowicked nails the Yakuza Kick. Suddenly, the video jumps ahead to Maria talking about their fundraising success. Not sure what’s going on with the match clipping, but I’ll be pretty annoyed if it keeps happening. Word on the internet is Hallowicked won this with the CHIKARA Special. Match seemed to be in the **½ zone and 6:27 was shown.
Winner: Hallowicked

Eddie Kingston vs. Dasher Hatfield

Dasher does his usual huddle with fans before the match, while Kingston stares down a fan with a “He’s Fat!” sign. Eddie intimidates a child before slowly making his way into the ring. They tumble around in a lock-up, which Kingston breaks with a chop in the corner. The crowd is letting Eddie have it, prompting him to stall for time ripping up signs and trying to scare kids. One kid actually attacks Kingston with karate kicks! That’s a dangerous precedent, as Kingston sells it by running away in terror. The match restarts with Kingston taking out his rage on Hatfield with a beat down. Dasher attempts a comeback, but Kingston slingshots him into the middle rope from the floor. Back to the ring, Kingston delivers a spinning neck breaker for a near fall. Kingstown mixes it up with chops and head butts and looks for the win with a butterfly suplex. Hatfield desperately delivers a sunset flip, and but Eddie counters with a suplex. Dasher blocks a backfist and they trade forearm shots. Jackhammer by Hatfield only gets 2! Eddie comes back with a pair of Saito Suplexes! Dasher blocks the Backdrop Driver and surprises with a pinning predicament for the win at 11:52! Holy upset! Good heel work by Kingston and face work by Hatfield, in addition to some hard physicality elevate this to ***.
Winner: Dasher Hatfield

-The crowd chants “New champ” for Hatfield, as Kingston is still technically the CHIKARA Grand Champion. Eddie declares that “CHIKARA is dead” and storms out.

Sonjay Dutt vs. Eric Corvis

Dutt wins an early exchange, but Corvis scores a drop-kick, falling into position to read a book. Dutt DDT’s Corvis into the turnbuckle and stomps the head. Dutt fakes out a section of fans by not following through with a dive, in case we didn’t know he was a heel. Dutt controls the match with submissions and wiping himself with Eric’s book. Corvis comes back with rapid fire attacks to the head, all thanks to the knowledge contained in his book. Dutt blocks a suicide dive with a kick to the head. Wheelbarrow suplex by Corvis only gets 2. Dutt retaliates with an effortless springboard guillotine leg drop and frog splash! Standing moonsault by Dutt, followed by a proper moonsault. Dutt blocks a superplex, but misses a standing moonsault! Corvis capitalizes with a cover for the win at 8:47. Dutt makes everything he does look easy. Corvis has an interesting gimmick, and kept up for a solid exhibition match, **¾.
Winner: Eric Corvis

Shynron vs. Juan Francisco de Coronado

The match is joined in progress, with them brawling at ringside. Apparently the live stream suffered some technical woes. Back to the ring, Shynron breaks a body scissors, but Juan hits a perfect suplex. Shynron throws rapid fire kicks, but Juan targets the knee with shots. Shynron shamelessly no-sells the attack and drops Francisco on his head with a rana. The fight heads to the apron, where Francisco attempts a German to the floor. Shynron hangs on for dear life and delivers a super kick. Shynron shows off with a spin kick and shooting star press off the apron. Back to the ring, Francisco nails a spinebuster. Tiger Driver into the turnbuckles by Francisco isn’t enough for the win. Shynron impressively catches Juan on the top rope with a head scissors, but Juan counters with a top rope cloverleaf! That’s worth an extra ½* alone. Shynron nails a 630 splash off the second rope for the win at 7:26. I wasn’t feeling this at first as it seemed to be a random display of moves (some sloppy, some spectacular) but damn it if they didn’t have me by the end, **¾.
Winner: Shynron

Wrestling Is Heart’s La Copa
Joe Pittman © vs. Heidi Lovelace

I thought this show was missing some man on woman violence. Pittman offers Heidi the chance to hold his trophy so he can wrestle a man. This match is also clipped, as it skips to Pittman grabbing Heidi by the hair and pulling her into a backbreaker. My working theory is that the clips are when the live stream went down, and they didn’t bother restoring the VOD version. Pittman blocks a sunset flip and ruthlessly slams Heidi into the mat. Pittman lifts Heidi up and threatens to launch her out of the ring. Scoop slam by Pittman gets 2. Heidi forges a comeback with quick running kicks. Enziguri by Lovelace gets 2. Pittman counters with a power bomb and applies a half crab. Pittman talks some smack and nails a black hole slam. Heidi applies the CHKARA Special when all the villains of the CHIKARA universe storm the ring. Thank you. No contest at 7:00, the match was uncomfortable to watch, *.

-The ring fills up with Dr. Cube and his goons, the Devastation Incorporation, members of GEKIDO, the remnants of the BDK, and others, with Jimmy Jacobs serving as a spokesperson. The heroes of CHIKARA show up for a confrontation. Dr. Cube’s men unmask to reveal themselves as members of the CHIKARA roster and the building goes nuts as a brawl breaks out! A door opens and a Delorean is parked outside! 3.0 and Archibald Peck emerge and join the brawl. A portion of the rudos retreat, leaving The Batiri, 3.0, Peck, Dasher Hatfield, Green Ant, Ultra Mantis, Mr. Touchdown, and others to stand tall in the ring. This event is worth checking out for this moment alone. Icarus holds up a sign announcing that “5.24.14” will be the return of CHIKARA.

BONUS MAIN EVENT:
Los Ice Creams (El Hijo Del Ice Cream and Ice Cream Jr.) and The Batiri (Kobald, Obariyon, and Kodama) vs. The Colony (Green Ant and Fire Ant), The Osirian Portal (Amasis and Ophidian), and Icarus

Emotions are running high at the opening bell, as Icarus mixes it up with Kobald. Fire Ant and Kodama storm the with Fire Ant getting the better of the exchange with stiff chops. Octopus into a hurricanrana by Fire Ant. Green Ant tags and the Colony double team Kodama with stereo running boots. Obariyon makes the save, but Green Ant nails a hurricanrana and a suicide dive! Amasis squares off with Ice Cream Jr. and outmaneuvers into a drop-kick. Amasis hypnotizes the Ice Cream with some dancing and tags in Ophidian for a slap into a backslide. The other Ice Cream trips Ophidian during a dive attempt, isolating him in the process. Amasis gets a needed tag and flies in with a shoulder block. Amasis cleans house until the Batiri catch him with a drop toe hold into a knee strike. Green Ant runs in and also suffers a drop toe hold into the ropes. Fire Ant has better luck with a tornado DDT, but Kobald cuts him off with a spear. The Osirian Portal double team Kobald but Los Ice Creams make a save. They set up a 10 man suplex in the ring (with Kobald dishing out back rakes first)! The match restarts with Green Ant and Kobald exchanging strikes. Obariyon saves Kobald from Green Ant’s cloverleaf, but suffers a sit-out power bomb. The Colony hit double super kicks, but Kodama catches them with a drop-kick. Ophidian hits a slingshot drop-kick on Kodama, but Los Ice Creams ambush him. The Portal put their opponents under their spell so they can show off their dance moves. Cue the obligatory diving sequence from the tecnicos! With the ring cleared out, Icarus finishes an Ice Cream with the CHIKARA Special at 14:17. Tremendous, crowd-pleasing, statement-making, emotional main event here, ****.
Winners: Icarus, The Colony, and the Osirian Portal

Final Thoughts: The only thing you need to know is CHIKARA is back! This event is free to watch on Youtube, I highly recommend you go check it out. Big thumbs up for one of the most surprisingly exciting shows in recent memory.

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